Ink bottle stopper



v Dec. 29,' 1936. A. w. KEUFFEL ET Al.

INK BOTTLE STOPPER Filed March l5, 1935 IN V EN TOR. ADOLF I4( /fEl/FFEL l0/IN d. L/PPOTH A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INK BOTTLE STOPPER tion of New Jersey Application March 15, 1935, Serial No. 11,236

4 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to bottles or other receptacles of the kind having stoppers and to the sealing of the mouths of such bottles by means of the Stoppers. More particularly, the invention relates to bottles or other receptacles in which the stopper carries a quill or tube by which the ink or other fluid contained therein is extracted from the bottle and applied to pens or brushes held in the one hand, the stopper being removed from the bottle and the quill or tube filled with ink with the other hand for the purpose of transferring ink to the pen.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide, as a filling device in ink bottles of the character described, a tapered rubber stopper through which a tube or glass dropper passes, the upper portion of the stopper being provided with a compressible bulb whereby the ink is drawn into the tube. It is necessary in ink bottles of. this nature that Stoppers be tapered so that they may be inserted at least part-Way into the mouth of the bottle without becoming fast in the mouth during the filling operation so that the combined dropper and stopper may be manipulated with one hand. A stopper of the character described, of rubber, with the necessary taper to permit insertion partway in the mouth, has not heretofore been practical as a closure for a bottle containing drawing ink, for instance, because, if the interior walls of the mouth of the bottle are wet, as frequently occurs, the tendency of the stopper is to slip upwardly in the wet Wall of the mouth so that the bottle is not sealed and the ink evaporates.

The primary object of the present invention is the retention of. a tapered rubber stopper in a bottle not only when the coacting surfaces are dry but also when they are wet. Accordingly, the wall of the mouth or neck of the bottle is roughened to a desired degree, preferably by abrasion or etching with acid. It has been found that this slight etching or roughening cooperates with the yielding material of the stopper, even when one Aor both of the coacting surfaces are wet, to retain the stopper firmly in position when the stopper is pushed home in the neck of the bottle and provide an air tight seal preserving the contents of the bottle. This seal, however, is readily broken when it is desired to remove the stopper from the bottle. Moreover, by reason of the taper of the stopper, the tube or dropper may be inserted in the ink without hindrance using only one hand.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment by which the invention may be realized, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, showing a bottle for drawing ink to which the invention is applied, the" stopper being partly removed as in the vact of extracting ink; and

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showa neck portion 1 through which access to theH interior is had by the mouth 8. This bottle is shown as lled with, say, ink to the level indicated at Ill. The interior surface of. the neck 1 beginning at the mouth 8 is frusto-conical in shape or tapered and receives the stopper.

The stopper for the bottle is preferably formed of a yielding non-metallic material, such as rubber, which is of tapered or of inverted frustoconical shape, as indicated at I2, to be received in the neck 1. A portion of the stopper of relatively larger diameter, as shown at I5, is conveniently knurled for ready grasp .of the fingers in loosening the stopper in the mouth 8 and removing it therefrom. In the upper portion of the stopper is a hollow, thin walled compressible bulb I6 in communicating connection with a tube I4 to serve as a dropper for the extraction of ink from the bottle.

The portion of smaller diameter of. the stopper is adapted to be first introduced into the bottle. Its diameter is such that the stopper may be introduced part-way into the bottle, vas shown in Figure 1, to introduce the mouth of a tube or dropper I4 into the ink to extract it.

Ordinarily, if this inverted frusto-conical stopper portion I2 were inserted into the neck 1 through the mouth 8 and if such interior surface were wet with ink, dropping, say, from' the dropper in a previous manipulation, the air compressed within the bottle When forcing the stopper home therein together with the inherent elasticity of the material of which the stopper is made would cause the stopper to slip or work upwardly in the neck whereby the seal would be broken and evaporation of the ink permitted. To

overcome this tendency, the inner surface 9 of the neck 1 is roughened sufciently, as at I1, so that when the rubber plug I2 is forced into contact therewith even though the surface 9 is Wet, the plug I2 will remain in place and not move upwardly in the bottle to break the seal.

This roughening of the surface 9 may be accomplished in a variety of ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It may be abraded as by an emery Wheel or the like or it may be etched to the desired degree by the application of suitable acid to the surface 9.

The operation and function of the device according to the present invention is deemed obvious from the foregoing description. Suilice it to say that, after the stopper has been loosened in the neck, a. draughtsma-n, desiring to ll his drawing pen with ink, need only grasp theknurled ange I5 between the thumb and second nger and manipulate the bulb I6 with the index finger, to ll the tube I4 with ink. The stopper may then be readily removed or lifted from the bottle in order to fill the pen. The tapered walls of the stopper I2 permit the stopper to be inserted far enough into the mouth to submerge the open end of the tube I4 in the ink and withdraw the same again Without becoming fast in the neck. To close the bottle, even though the inner surface 9 of the neck is Wet with ink, the roughened portion I1 cooperates with the elastic frusto-conical surface I 2 When the two are in intimate contact therewith serving to retain the stopper in sealing engagement in the mouth.

Various modications will occur to those skilled in the art in the disposition, conguration and composition of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole and particularly in the coacting parts thereof, as Weil as in the application of the invention to various purposes and no limitation is intended by the phrasee ology of the foregoing description or illustrations 'order of that caused by abrasion, etching and the like.

2. An ink bottle having a neck and a stopper therefor provided with pen filling means, said stopper having an inverted frusto-conical portion of yielding non-metallic material, the interior surface of the neck portion of the bottle engaging the stopper being roughened on the order of that caused by abrasion, etching and the like.

3. An ink bottle having a neck and a stopper therefor provided with pen lling means, rsaid stopper having a portion of progressively decreasing diameter of yielding non-metallic material, the interior surface of the neck portion of the bottle engaging the stopper being roughened on the order of that caused by abrasion, etching and the like.

4. An ink bottle having a mouth and a tapered rubber stopper therefor, the interior surface of the neck portion of the bottle engaging the stopg 

